Friction shock absorbing mechanism



Feb. 6, 1951 K. WILLIAMS FRIc'rIoN sHocx ABsoRBING MECHANISM Filed April 25, 1946 Patented Feb. s,y 1951 u-:Nirs D STAT Esp PATENT oF F 255540,56!

FRICTIONSHOGK ABSORBINGMECHA-NISM` Keithwiuiams, Barrera4 N. Y:

Application Apri1s25; 1946; Serial Noa6f6`4,80'5.

' Thiszinventionrelates to. improvements in fric.-

byfliners interposed between thecasing wallsand shoes having shouldered. engagement with the casing4 and wedge block to limit outward movement..oftheblock,.the liners and shoes beingv providedwith'. cooperating friction surfaces.

l Other objectsof the invention willmoreclearly appear from the description and claims hereinafter following.

In. the drawing forming apart of this. speciiication,

Fig. lV is.- a. longitudinal vertical sectionalview ofmy improved shock. absorbingk mechanism Fig. 2 is. a. transverse. vertical sectional view, corresponding substantially to. the line 2--2 of Fig..1;

Fig. 3i is a front elevationalview, looking from left .to yright in. Fig. 1;

Fig. Llis a rear elevational. View, looking from. right to left in Fig. 1; and

vFig. 5` isea detail. perspective. view of a liner employedin .my improved mechanism.

.As illustrated'. in the drawingy my improved shock'absorbing mechanism comprises broadly a. casing A; a wedge blockB; three frictionshoes CL-CL-Cj. three liners D-D-D; a spring resist.- a'nce comprising spring elements E and F; and a preliminary spring cap G.

1 The casing A'i's inthe form of a tubular shell" dfiliexagonalg. interior. and. exterior crosssection,

having an.. inturnedl ange. ID at.' the rear. end..

o'smilar:v design. each` liner being., in. the form;y of a, relatively' heavy. plate of V-shaped'. trans-.

verse section. having a transversely extending, relatively wide retaining riby i3 on. the outer side thereof between itsfront and rear ends. At the frontl end' thereof, each liner D has alaterally inf 'waidla extending if@1m11.111sY Hansa-Mi Whichwith they ribs 1.3 thereof! engaged in. transverses grooves ",IS- provided.. insaid walls. As shown; three such groovesy IGT-are provided', oneforg'each. 1iner each groove being formed in` two.. adj acent` walls of' the hexagonal4 casing and extending; around the corner1 atrther intersection of. said ad..-J jacent walls. Thecorneratthe intersectionof. the two.4 angularly; disposed sections. of. each: V.-`v shaped. liner is preferablyv rounded. tov` fit. the. rounded. corner of the. casing andlthey rib Il.3 ofl eachk liner isv preferably continuous,l extending around the-,r rounded corner thereof` and4 termi-.- nating short of the opposite side edges of.. liner: The friction surfaces- I5-I15-I'5.. of' the. three liners.v converge-inwardly ofthe mechanism. toward. then-longitudinal centralaxis,.thereof;.thus` providing; an inwardly tapered formation. for theifriction shell section of the mechanism.

The friction: shoes. C, which areethree in ber, are arranged'. symmetrically aboutthev cen-f tral longitudinal axisi of thew mechanism'. Eachi shoe- C.y is. ofv V-shaped transverse: section.. and;` presentsy apair of' friction surfaces l'l-IJ on. theiouter side thereofwhich.are angularly dis-f posedI with: respect tov each other' to cooperatewith. the; friction surfaces !5-I5 of.. two adjaz-fcent'liners which the shoe overlaps. On the inner.'v

side, eachshoeis;providedv with a wedge face.- I.8-.

ofrV-sliapedtransverse crosse-section; f -f TherwedgeBisin:the.form of a hollow-block` having. three. inwardly; converging.,Y fiat: wedge: faces,A lll Isp-4.a. atsitsginner-endi.ensaginggrespecf tively.v withv the; wedge,r facesL IB-Ifz-Ii three shoes:v The. outer;r end. ofT the;v wedge; block: is contracted, or of reduced sizeaas indicatedy at'` 29, thereby providing a stop shoulder 2i.. The reduced portion?. 2'!) u of the: blockV i`s1 of;- cylindrical form'v andithen shoulder.; 2iv is: continuous around?. thef wedge?. block? and; underlies the. flanges:- 1.41m4 [4f-|14. of; the. three. liners; .D..D.D. andil ensageable.. witln said. flanges; 'co-.limit ouinvrnidi movementofthesbluclsB.1' v- The.l spring; cap Gf is; disposed at; the reari er1-.dy of thevcasing Aand hasv a laterally projectingpe-l rpheralange 22' at its inner. end which engages; int back. of thefange. L0 atitha reari end'l ofi the; tol restrici;` outward, moyementot @it if,

The spring resistance, comprising the spring elements E and F, is arranged within the casi between the friction shoes and the spring cap G. The spring E is in the form of a relatively heavy, helical coil surrounding the spring F and has its front and rear ends bearing respectively on the inner ends of the shoes C-C-C and the flange 22 of the spring cap G. The spring F, which .is

also in the form of a helical coil, is of lighter capacity than the spring E and has its front end bearing on the inner ends of the shoes C--C-C and its rear end seated within the spring cap G. In assembling the mechanism, the spring cap G and the springs E and F are rst placed within the casing A through the open front end thereof. The wedge block B, shoes C-C--C, and the liners D-D-D, assembled as a unit and held in contracted condition by a suitable clamping tool so that the ribs l3-l3-I 3 of the liners will pass freely thro-ugh the opening of the casing, are then inserted within the casing through said open end. The contracted unit is pushed into the casing until the ribs l3-I 3-I 3 are confined by the walls of said casing, whereupon the clamping tool is removed and the unit forced further inwardly of the casing against the resistance of the springs E and F until the ribs l3-l3-l3 register with and snap into the grooves i6 I6 i6 of the casing walls. The ribs I3-I3-I 3 are forcibly engaged within the grooves I6l6--l6, due to the tendency of the unit comprising the wedge block, shoes, and liners to expand, being forced to do so by the wedging action of the block B against the spring resisted shoes C-C-C. As will be evident, the liners are thus effectively locked against accidental removal and are positively held against inward and outward movement lengthwise of the casing.

The operation of my improved friction shock` absorbing mechanism is as follows: Upon conipression of the mechanism between the usual front and rear followers of the railway draft rigging, the spring cap is first forced inwardly against the resistance of the springs E and F to absorb the lighter shocks. has been forced inwardly to its full extent, further relative approach of the followers of the' railway draft rigging will force the wedge block B inwardly of the casing, sliding the friction shoes' along the friction surfaces of the liners t provide relatively high frictional resistance during the lastpart of the compression stroke of the mechanism. Upon the actuating force being reduced, the springs E and F will return the parts to the normal full release position shown in Fig. l, outward movement of the spring cap G being limited by engagement of the flange 22 thereof with the flange Il] at the rear end of the casing, and 'outward movement of the wedge block beingflimited by shouldered engagement ywith the inturned flanges lli-I 4-l 4 of the liners D-D-D' gagement with the shoes, said liners having stop flanges overhanging the outer ends of the shoes and having 'shouldered engagement with -the'' When the spring cap l wedge block to limit outward movement of the latter; and spring means within the casing yieldingly resisting inward movement of the shoes.

2. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism. the combination with a tubular casing having an open friction shell section at one end; of detachable liners within the friction shell end of the' casing having shouldered engagement with said casing to lock said liners against lengthwise movement; a central wedge block having a transverse, peripheral shoulder; friction shoes in wedging engagement with said block and in sliding frictional engagement with said liners, said liners having inturned stop flanges overhanging the outer ends of said shoes and extending into the path of movement of the shoulder of the wedge block to limit outward movement of said block; and spring means within the casing yieldingly opposing inward movement of the shoes.

3. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with a tubular friction casing having an open friction shell section at one end; of av central wedge block; three friction shoes sur-f rounding said block in wedging engagement therewith; a liner interposed between each shoe and the corresponding side wall of the casing, said liners having shouldered engagement with the casing to lock the liners against lengthwise'Y movement with respect to the casing, each of said liners having an inturned flange overlying the outer end of the corresponding shoe and extendsaid liners and shoes having cooperating friction surfaces; and spring means within the casing yieldingly opposing inward movement of the shoes.

4. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the

combination with a tubular friction casing of hexagonal, interior cross section; of three liners of V-shaped, transverse section within said casing, said liners being arranged symmetrically about the longitudinal central axis of the casing and each liner being seated against two adjacentv walls of said hexagonal interior of the casing, said liners having transversely arranged, outwardly projecting ribs seated in transverse grooves lin the walls of the casing to lock the liners to the casing against movement in lengthwise direction, said liners having lengthwise extending friction surfaces of V-shaped section on the inner sides thereof, said liners having inturnedstop flanges at their outer ends; three friction shoes having friction surfaces of V-shaped, transverse sectionv interfitting with the V-shaped friction surfaces of the liners and having lengthwise sliding engagement therewith; a central wedge block in wedging engagement with the shoes, said wedge block, having a reduced projecting portion extending between the flanges of the liners, and a peripheral shoulder at the inner end ofsaid reduced projec. tion engageable in back of the anges of said. liners to restrict outward movement of said b1oclr..;

and spring means within the casing yieldingly opl ing said block and having wedging engagement l,

therewith; a liner interposed between each shoe and the corresponding interior side wall of the casing, said liners and shoes having cooperating,

lengthwise extending friction surfaces; a transvcrsely disposed, laterally outwardly extendingf' rib on each liner seated in a locking groove in the corresponding side wall portion of the casing to lock said liner against lengthwise movement with respect to the casing, each of said liners having an inturned flange at the outer end thereof overhanging the outer end of the corresponding shoe and extending into the pathof movementl of the shoulder of the wedge block to limit outward movement of said block; and a spring resistance within the casing yieldingly opposing inward movement of the shoes.

6. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism having a friction casing open at the front end, liners within said casing, friction shoes having sliding frictional engagement with the liners, a central wedge block in wedging engagement with the shoes, and spring means yieldingly resisting inward movement of the shoes, the improvement which comprises the combination of shoulders on said liners having engagement with the walls of the casing to lock said liners against movement lengthwise with respect to the casing, and stop flanges on said liners overhanging the outer ends of the shoes and having shouldered engagement with the wedge block to limit outward movement of the latter.

7. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism having a tubular casing with an open friction shell section at one end, detachable liners within the friction shell end of the casing, a central Wedge block, friction shoes in wedging engagement with said block and in sliding frictional engagement with said liners, and spring means Within the casing yieldingly opposing inward movement of the shoes, the improvement which comprises the combination of shoulders on said detachable liners having engagement with the casing to lock said liners against lengthwise movement, a transverse peripheral shoulder on said central wedge block, and inturned stop flanges on said liners overhanging the outer ends of said shoes and extending into the path of movement of the shoulder of the wedge block to limit outward movement of said block.

8. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism having a tubular friction casing with an open `friction shell section at one end, a central wedge block, three friction shoes surrounding said bloclc in wedging engagement therewith, liners interposed between said shoes and the side wall of the casing, said liners and shoes have cooperating frictional surfaces, and spring means within the casing yieldingly opposing inward movement of the shoes, the improvement which comprises the combination of shoulders on said liners having engagement with the casing to lock said liners against lengthwise movement with respect to the casing and inturned flanges on said liners overlying the outer ends of the shoes and extending into the path of movement of the wedge block to limit outward movement of the latter.

9. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism having a tubular friction casing of hexagonal interior cross-section, three liners of V-shaped, transverse section Within said casing, said liners being arranged symmetrically about the longitudinal central axis of the casing and each liner being seated against two adjacent walls of said hexagonal interior of the casing, said liners having lengthwise extending friction surfaces of V- shape section on the inner sides thereof, three friction shoes having friction surfaces of V- shaped transverse section interfitting with the V-shaped surfaces of the liners and having lengthwise sliding engagement therewith, a central wedge block in wedging engagement with the shoes, and spring means within the casing yieldingly opposing movement of the shoes, the improvement which comprises the combination of a transversely arranged outwardly projecting rib on each of said liners seated in a transverse groove in the wall of the casing to lock each liner to the casing against movement in lengthwise direction, an inturned stop flange at the outer end of each of said liners, a reduced projecting portion on said wedge block extending between the flanges of the liners, and a peripheral shoulder at the inner end of said reduced projection engageable in back of each of the flanges of said liners to restrict outward movement of said block.

10. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism having a tubular friction casing, a central wedge block, a set of three friction shoes surrounding said block and having wedging engagement therewith, a liner interposed between each shoe and the corresponding interior side wall of the casing, said liner and shoe having cooperating lengthwise extending friction surfaces, and a spring resistance within the casing yieldingly opposing inward movement of the shoes, the improvement which comprises the combination of a peripheral shoulder on said central wedge block, a transversely disposed laterally outwardly extending rib on each liner seated in a locking .groove in the corresponding side wall portion of the casing to lock said liner against lengthwise movement with respect to the casing, and inturned flanges, one at the outer end of each of said liners, overhanging the outer ends of the shoes and extending into the path of movement of the shoulder of the wedge block to limit outward movement of said block. KEITH WILLIAMS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,121,482 Courson Dec. 15, 1914 1,219,851 OConnor Mar. 20, 1917 1,562,783 OConnor NOV. 24, 1925 1,680,337 OConnor Aug. 14, 1928 1,703,271 Haseltine Feb. 26, 1929 1,741,650 OConnor Dec. 31, 1931 2,050,541 Olander Aug. 11, 1936 2,076,769 Dentler Apr. 13, 1937 2,291,831 Olander Aug. 4, 1942 2,370,291 Dath Feb. 27, 1945 

